What to Expect With Screening and Hiring for Summer 2022

Summer is a busy season for retail, summer camps, hospitality, restaurants, and sports leagues. This year, employers and volunteer organizations face new challenges as things continue to open up after the shutdowns and pauses caused by the COVID pandemic. Knowing what's to come can help navigate the efforts it'll take to bring on trustworthy people this summer.

Here are things to expect with background screening and hiring for the summer of 2022.

Demand is Higher

As the pandemic eases and more of the country goes back to "normal," hiring is picking up. The most recent U.S. jobs report reveals an uptick from last summer even as companies are battling employees leaving their jobs. Leisure and hospitality led to the increase in gains in March, with more Americans traveling, eating out, and enjoying live entertainment than they did last summer. The hiring competition will be challenging as the temperatures rise and the school year comes to an end.

Higher Wages & Workplace Expectations

School-age employees are now more digitally connected to the news than ever. They're aware of the demands by older employees of positive workplace cultures, diversity, and equal wages. They are also facing higher student debt than generations before. Because of this and the lower supply of workers, they have higher expectations for wages and benefits. Employers are wise to understand these expectations when marketing their job openings. 

See also: How Important Are Volunteer Background Checks?

Gaps on Resumes

Summer employees are usually high school and college students. They don't typically have fully fleshed-out resumes but they'll be different this year. The pandemic affected their schools and their willingness to go to work amid a dangerous illness. Older workers or volunteers may have taken time off from the workforce as well, due to new expectations of their employer, mental health challenges, or being unable to find childcare. These gaps on resumes shouldn't affect hiring, especially if addressed during the interview.

Screening Expectations

Non-profits needn't be concerned about running background checks on volunteers, particularly if they'll be working with sensitive information or a vulnerable population. Community service, summer sports leagues, and summer camps likely work with children, and therefore volunteers should expect background checks.

Seasonal hires, such as those jobs quickly available in hospitality or leisure, should also be subject to background checks. Many businesses in this sector may opt-out of screening a candidate who may only work a month or two. However, many of these summer employees come back year after year or move into full-time employment. If an employer screens their full-time employees, summer employment should be no different.

If your organization is looking to hire quickly for the summer months, VeriFirst Background Screening can help. Our high-quality customer service, free online screening and compliance portal, and transparency can help you hire the right person for the right job.